Protagonist

Character Role Analysis

Milkman

Milkman is our hero, our protagonist, the man we are supposed to pay attention to, the pièce de résistance. Though he provides us many a forehead-slapping moment and compels us to utter Homer Simpsonisms (doh!), we are right there with Milkman all along, as he fights his way first toward gold, and then toward finding his identity, his reason for being, and his "people." He shows us how to make mistakes, keep going, and how to thirst for self-knowledge.